Manual and/or automated processing systems may be used in the aerospace industry as well as in other manufacturing sectors, for fabricating various components, assemblies, and/or sub-assemblies. These manufacturing systems or devices may be configured to move relative to the surfaces of components being fabricated. For example, in aircraft manufacturing, manual and automated processing systems may be able to move relative to flat and contoured work surfaces and may be configured to be accurately positioned at a location where processing, such as machining, is to be performed. Similarly, a processing system may be positioned at a location, e.g., for drilling, reaming, and/or tapping a hole, and for subsequently installing a fastener therein.
As stated, such processing systems may be used to fabricate components having curved surfaces, such as a fuselage, wing, or other non-planar portions of an aircraft. Accordingly, flexible structures or tracks may be used for supporting certain processing systems.
However, even though automated processing systems may be configured to move relative to the surfaces of components being processed along one or more flexible tracks, these tracks have finite length that may limit the effective operating range of the system. Accordingly, upon completion of the processing to be done in a particular working area, the automated processing system and its flexible track must be removed from one location and repositioned to another location if additional processing at that location is desired. The repositioning procedure may require numerous time-consuming and labor-intensive manual repositioning and set-up operations since, in applications where the working surface is contoured, it may be necessary and/or desirable to accommodate the contour of the surface as the automated processing system is relocated. More specifically, when repositioning and setting up the processing system over a work surface, it may be necessary to manually apply forces to the ends of the flexible tracks to create contact between the work surface and coupling devices (such as vacuum cups), used to attach the structure to the work surface. Such repeated manual set-up steps of the processing system at different locations along the work surface may be time-consuming, manpower-intensive, expensive, and/or involve other difficulties.
Additionally, if a processing system is provided with positioning devices for moving the processing system away from the work surface, due to lack of rigidity, flexible tracks or other support structures may present challenges during movement of the processing system.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches may become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with teachings and examples set forth in the present disclosure.